Endurance Racing

How to Finish a 24-Hour Race

Rebecca Rusch is a three-time solo 24-hour world champion and women’s course record holder at the Leadville 100. Here’s her advice for all-day events.

selene yeager

(Photo by J. Andres Varga)

Pace YourselfStart slower than you want to. “It’s uncomfortable to watch people ride away,” Rusch says, “but you’ll see them later.” To gauge your starting pace, use a heart rate monitor and stay at or below your lactate threshold (the point at which speaking in full sentences becomes difficult). “You will go above your LT for short stints during the race, but stay there too long and your muscles won’t be able to clear lactic acid quickly enough, and you’ll have to slow down.” A quarter of the way in, evaluate how you’re feeling and tweak your effort up or down accordingly. Repeat at the halfway and three-quarters marks. “And with 10 percent left to go,” Rusch says, “empty the tank.”

Eat by the Clock
“Most people can absorb 200 to 300 calories per hour,” Rusch says. Eat small amounts every 60 minutes, even if you’re not hungry, and drink at least 20 ounces of water. “Electrolytes, like sodium, need to be part of your fueling plan, because they keep your muscles firing smoothly.” Pre-event, “make an hourly food plan with enough calories, water, and electrolytes to meet your needs,” Rusch says. “Toss in a few treats for an emotional boost.”

Care for Your Contact Points
Any place where your body touches the bike is a pressure point that could eventually turn into a miserable (or even race-ending) hot spot, so carefully choose your chamois, saddle, gloves, grips, shoes, and socks, Rusch says. “I like wool socks for a bit of extra cushion. I use thicker, customizable insoles and quality well broken in shoes. For extremely long events, I’ll bring a pair of shoes that’s one size bigger than my normal size, to allow for the inevitable foot swelling. I use shaped grips on my handle bar to alleviate ulnar nerve pressure and tingly hands. Train in the shorts you plan on racing in—switching to an extra thick chamois on event day can make you uncomfortable if you’re not used to it.”

Check Your Head
Confidence ebbs and flows during a long race, Rusch says. “To keep from feeling overwhelmed, break the event into small, manageable chunks.” In a 24-hour race, for example, try focusing on each lap or block of time and setting goals for each section. Plus, “as a mentor once told me, ‘No matter how good or how bad you feel, it won’t last,’” says Rusch. “Knowing this keeps me in check when I feel great and helps me push when I feel terrible. You will feel both. And you won’t be the only one.”